I know there are plenty of proficient, ethical hunters out there using crossbows. No doubt. But some are not.

As Coop stated, same is true with all types of hunters. When I first started hunting the lakes, Buckshot was the only legal means of taking a deer if you had a permit from the draw during the general season. Then there was a big discussion about how many deer were being injured, running off and die-n from wild shots with buckshot. So in 1990 ACE changed it to slugs. Homeowners were furious because a slug can carry a long way. But in the end. More deer were recovered by slug hunters than with buckshot. Still, both hunters were complaining about not being drawn by the lottery for slug hunting, and homeowners continued to complain about deer gun hunters. So the Whitney staff decided to make it archery only thinking it would solve the home owner issue. And open up the lands to more hunters. Now we still have hunters complaining about hunters. I wonder what ACE thinks about this.

Dedicated gun hunters hate archery. And said we should never have had a archery season. To many animals are injured by archery equipment and archers. That is why some lease owners do not allow archery. And that was before the xbow was ever thought about.
When wheelie bows came on the scene, Trad shooters were up in arms that the compound was not true archery equipment. And should never be allowed. And it all goes a lot further than just hunting. It includes fishing, outdoor recreational sports, athletics, business, community living, ...everything.

You will find questionable acts where you look for them. What may be ethical or unethical, moral or immoral, in one culture, may not be in another. Ethics and morals change as a society changes. I'm just glad I live in Texas. And Texas is part of the USA where people like Coop and many others, fought so we have freedom and rights. Sure, there might be others out there that I don't like the way they do things even though they may be legal (or illegal). But more than that, I'm also thankful I have a place to hunt, the way I want, with-in the rules of this society.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chino

Do I need to pay to get in?

Sam, I think it's $4 per person to get in for the day called a "Day Pass". It allows you to visit campers, fish, use the boat ramp, bathroom facilities, and everything else except occupy one of the campsites or picnic tables. Nor dose it allow to stay over night any where.

[QUOTE=Texas Grown;12725836]As Coop stated, same is true with all types of hunters. When I first started hunting the lakes, Buckshot was the only legal means of taking a deer if you had a permit from the draw during the general season. Then there was a big discussion about how many deer were being injured, running off and die-n from wild shots with buckshot. So in 1990 ACE changed it to slugs. Homeowners were furious because a slug can carry a long way. But in the end. More deer were recovered by slug hunters than with buckshot. Still, both hunters were complaining about not being drawn by the lottery for slug hunting, and homeowners continued to complain about deer gun hunters. So the Whitney staff decided to make it archery only thinking it would solve the home owner issue. And open up the lands to more hunters. Now we still have hunters complaining about hunters. I wonder what ACE thinks about this.

Dedicated gun hunters hate archery. And said we should never have had a archery season. To many animals are injured by archery equipment and archers. That is why some lease owners do not allow archery. And that was before the xbow was ever thought about.
When wheelie bows came on the scene, Trad shooters were up in arms that the compound was not true archery equipment. And should never be allowed. And it all goes a lot further than just hunting. It includes fishing, outdoor recreational sports, athletics, business, community living, ...everything.

You will find questionable acts where you look for them. What may be ethical or unethical, moral or immoral, in one culture, may not be in another. Ethics and morals change as a society changes. I'm just glad I live in Texas. And Texas is part of the USA where people like Coop and many others, fought so we have freedom and rights. Sure, there might be others out there that I don't like the way they do things even though they may be legal (or illegal). But more than that, I'm also thankful I have a place to hunt, the way I want, with-in the rules of this society.

You hit the nail dead center on the head with that. This is a awesome resource we have access too. I fear with continued complaining about things will only limit and limit to where we one day drive by Whitney and say man I wish I could hunt, fish, etc there like we once did. Everything has trade offs and there's no one fix to satisfy everyone. I am just thankful I have a place I can access and enjoy myself. Be safe and good luck this fall.

OK guys here we Go! For this seasons opener on the 29th of September I will start cooking on the smoker for Friday night dinner. For those that made it last year it will be at PLOWMAN CREEK CAMPGROUND . We eat about 730 or 1930 for you in the military. Texas Grown, razorback,buckshot,Chino,coop, webstertroy,Ender, Homegrown justindfw and anyone else that wants to join us is welcome (that means also the ones who are new to this wonderful place we hunted. BYOB YOUR OWN CHAIRS ALSO not just the guys but your better half also. The camp site will be up on the hill just ask for the Ochoa campsite. There will be brisket, pork button and sausage. If your coming let me know, if you work with Kennyb let him know.
I hope to see all for a good round of fellowship and story telling.

Man, I would love to go, but going on a deep sea trip in Galveston on the 30th. Asked the guy at work today if it got canceled bc of the hurricane (hotel is taken by FEMA), but isn't, and he is looking for another hotel for all of us.

I agree with you TG. The Xbow thing during archery season has just always rubbed me the wrong way(unless you have a disability), so I'll throw my 2 cents out there every now and then just to vent. It's amazing how fast things can change. In most of the areas I hunted last year, I was in the minority using a compound. A lot of the guys I knew from previous years had even switched equipment.

I agree with you TG. The Xbow thing during archery season has just always rubbed me the wrong way(unless you have a disability), so I'll throw my 2 cents out there every now and then just to vent. It's amazing how fast things can change. In most of the areas I hunted last year, I was in the minority using a compound. A lot of the guys I knew from previous years had even switched equipment.

I understand what you are saying on the xbow. It takes less work to be perficient with a xbow. People are lazy by natural so give the majority a easier alternative and it's done.
I am a hard core Bowhunter and the only way I go to a xbow is if in my life I become disabled.
With that said if you choose to hunt with a xbow that's your business. Be perficient with whatever you hunt with. The animals deserves nothing less!

On the xbow vs. compound debate I have mixed opinions. Last year was my first year hunting Whitney and I made the decision to do so close to the opener. Being so, I settled with a xbow as I didn't feel comfortable in becoming proficient with a regular bow in time. I enjoy a challenge which drove my desire to ultimately hunt with a compound. Early this year I upgraded to a nice compound and have been practicing since then (haven't touched the xbow since other than to move it out of the way). I am ready to get in a tree and make my first harvest. I have spent many hours in the woods and put many miles exploring new areas this year. Look forward to meeting y'all out there this year.

Let's bump this up , I heard from a few of you but want to remind everyone that all of you are welcome to attend. Any doubts if I can handle a crowd you just have to look at my avatar. No one ever goes hungry around me!

I will be hunting near Lake Whitney this year for the first time and will likely be hunting some Whitney COE land by the end of the season. I have some bucks on camera and am trying to judge their spread but am unfamiliar with deer in this area.

From ear tip to ear tip, what would you average the distance on an 3-5 year old Whitney area buck?

I will be hunting near Lake Whitney this year for the first time and will likely be hunting some Whitney COE land by the end of the season. I have some bucks on camera and am trying to judge their spread but am unfamiliar with deer in this area.

From ear tip to ear tip, what would you average the distance on an 3-5 year old Whitney area buck?

Per TP&W guessament as to judging deer antler width in the field, it should be about 13. Which is supposed to be outside the ear tips when in the alert position". (That is not always true). Please refer to the field guide for more info on judging antler width.

This area is not much different than any other part of the state. I generally keep a very simple rule, "if your wondering if a deer is close to 13", don't shoot it. Shoot one you have no doubt that it is greater than 13". That should keep me or anyone else from getting a fine . So why bother to take a chance on a buck that is close to 13" on a guess, only to find out it is 12-7/8"?

Hunt In: Nebraska, Missouri, Hood County, Hill County, Bosque County and all over Texas, Nebraska, Missouri

Good luck to everyone this year! I'm focusing my time to hunting Nebraska and Missouri for a week each this year. I might try a few weekends in Whitney this year if I can find the time to get down there between stock show season. Good luck and happy hunting!

Hunt In: Nebraska, Missouri, Hood County, Hill County, Bosque County and all over Texas, Nebraska, Missouri

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Grown

The best to ya up north Will!

Thank you TG.
This is my first year rife hunting Nebraska and I bow hunter Missouri last year and took an big doe. Never saw a buck I was happy with. I'm really excited for these two hunts and just bought my permits for both states today. They will be back to bak hunts. I will try to do live a live hunt for Nebraska but I don't get any cell coverage in Mytle Missouri.

Hunt In: Nebraska, Missouri, Hood County, Hill County, Bosque County and all over Texas, Nebraska, Missouri

Official Lake Whitney And Aquilla 2017-2018 Hunting Thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Grown

Looking forward to your updates Will. When do your hunts start?

The fish are biting, and there's hogs to be kilt. Gotta go!

I will be driving up to Taylor Nebraska and meeting my father in law and brother in law on November 8th and setting up some pop up blinds. Rife season starts on the 11th and we will hunt for 8 days there if we don't tag out sooner. Then we will drive back to my father in laws in Myrtle Missouri and hunt for 6 days or more if we tag out early in Nebraska. We have access to 1500 acres in Nebraska and 500 in Missouri all private land that we get to hunt for free.

I am a local to the kopperl area. We rifle hunt private land around the b3 b4 area. Please be on the look out for unethical hunters! For the last 3 years we go shed hunting around March and we always seem to find fawn carcasses, or small buck carcasses fully intact. At first we thought it was just natural death, but we are 3 years of finding dead small deer.

BTW, good luck to everyone this season. A buddy and I are going to try bow hunting for the first time this year, wish us luck.

Has anyone ever hike and hunted in B4? After hunting season is over my wife and I hike from B2 all the way to the boat ramp in Lakeside Village (we live in lakeside) along the equestrian trail almost every sunday (until it starts getting hot). We always have close encounters with deer, this previous spring we walked up on 4 deer and got with in 20-25 feet of them and they didn't move for several minutes. I know it decreases my odds of getting a deer, but it could be a really fun way to be in the woods and have the possibility of getting a deer at the same time. It may be a week day thing so I don't screw up other people's hunts. What would be the honest opinions on this?

I've hunted B4 from one end to the other in the past. It was one of the 1st places I bow hunted there back in the mid '80s. There were no boundary fences on most of the lake back then, except for some of the private property owners. So a person could drive almost anywhere you could get your truck.

I've hunted B4 from one end to the other in the past. It was one of the 1st places I bow hunted there back in the mid '80s. There were no boundary fences on most of the lake back then, except for some of the private property owners. So a person could drive almost anywhere you could get your truck.

The fish are biting, and there's hogs to be kilt. Gotta go!

It's changed a lot since then. It's fully fenced now. Only way your driving in there is through Mesquite Creek and you better hope you don't get busted. We used to go wheeling in there back in the 2000's, had a lot of fun.

It's changed a lot since then. It's fully fenced now. Only way your driving in there is through Mesquite Creek and you better hope you don't get busted. We used to go wheeling in there back in the 2000's, had a lot of fun.

I know. And I don't drive on ACE property now. Haven't since they band vehicles, and put up fence and barriers all over the lake. I like my privileges using the resources. So I follow the rules out there, and every where else.

Here is a buck that I've been seeing since right after he had shed them last season. No this is not public land but I'm getting excited and can't wait! I'm pretty sure I've found a pretty solid Corp land spot as well however we will see what it is going to yield. This is on only 35 acres of property and only about half is huntable. He's been coming to the feeder since probably late February.

Here is a buck that I've been seeing since right after he had shed them last season. No this is not public land but I'm getting excited and can't wait! I'm pretty sure I've found a pretty solid Corp land spot as well however we will see what it is going to yield. This is on only 35 acres of property and only about half is huntable. He's been coming to the feeder since probably late February.

Here's hoping you can nail him before the rut moves him out of the area. Or in late season he's a nice one

We have some nice deer coming into our feeders. Not a lot of bucks yet, but we saw a pretty nice buck over the weekend while out feeding cattle.

Pulled the first SD card of the year last Friday (we have 4 more cameras out), I have to adjust this camera because it looks too dark at 7:30, but have a very consistent heard of does coming into one of our feeders every night about 45 minutes before dark.

Sorry for the dark pic.... I have to adjust the camera so it gets better light. This property is about 1/4 mile from B3 area on private land.

Went out again yesterday to do a final check on a few spots I had planned on hunting the first two weeks of season. Seems someone else liked two of them as well. They moved a bunch of brush and cut some areas As well. Assuming the same someone also took down a lock on that sat empty all last year at one of these two spots as well. Glad to see the lock-in gone minus a couple screw in steps (perfect tree for a climber), sad to see someone else also likes the same spots so much. Oh well, public land 101.

Went out again yesterday to do a final check on a few spots I had planned on hunting the first two weeks of season. Seems someone else liked two of them as well. They moved a bunch of brush and cut some areas As well. Assuming the same someone also took down a lock on that sat empty all last year at one of these two spots as well. Glad to see the lock-in gone minus a couple screw in steps (perfect tree for a climber), sad to see someone else also likes the same spots so much. Oh well, public land 101.

Sorry for your misfortune. Always keep a back-up plan, other spots. If you find out who it is, see if you can work with them on hunting the same spot.

To many folks down there "opening weekend" for me to hunt. I'd rather eat BBQ and/or fish. Or go to another public land to hunt.

OK guys here we Go! For this seasons opener on the 29th of September I will start cooking on the smoker for Friday night dinner. For those that made it last year it will be at PLOWMAN CREEK CAMPGROUND . We eat about 730 or 1930 for you in the military. Texas Grown, razorback,buckshot,Chino,coop, webstertroy,Ender, Homegrown justindfw and anyone else that wants to join us is welcome (that means also the ones who are new to this wonderful place we hunted. BYOB YOUR OWN CHAIRS ALSO not just the guys but your better half also. The camp site will be up on the hill just ask for the Ochoa campsite. There will be brisket, pork button and sausage. If your coming let me know, if you work with Kennyb let him know.
I hope to see all for a good round of fellowship and story telling.

Hey TG an switchback good to see you guys still hanging in there! I may be out an about this year it’s been a couple of years since I have been down there been keeping a close eye on things from the rail! An yes for you B2-B3 hunters I am one of the guys that allows you to stretch or make a little noise while I’m blowing the crossing there by the river lol hope to see y’all out there and meet some of the new guys an gals!

Lock on being left in the woods and a protein bock, not my spot. I typically just make funny faces when I find peoples cameras.

Speaking of cameras what has been y'alls experience using them on public land? This is my first year using them and I always have this nervous feeling when I leave them out. I have been putting the python locks on them so it will be a chore if someone does decide they want them that bad. This same concern is why I have not left a lock on when I go home for lunch or sleep.

Looking forward to meeting some of you kind folks next week. Off to doing some final scouting before I go visit the folks over the weekend. Promised them one more visit before season starts